1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to nail positioning and driving devices and, more particularly, to a nail holding and driving device for use with very small, difficult-to-hold nails which includes a generally cylindrical main tube, a toroidal magnet movably mounted on the outer wall of the main tube and a generally cylindrical nail-driving rod which is slidably housed within the main tube, the nail-driving rod being constructed of a ferrous metal material such that the toroidal magnet magnetizes the nail-driving rod so that the rod, when encountering a metal nail, will magnetically engage the nail to support the nail within the main tube in contact with the nail-driving rod prior to the nail being inserted into the desired location by impact of a hammer or other nail-driving device with the upper end of the nail-driving rod.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many hobbies which involve building or constructing models of larger structures, such as airplanes, cars, ships and buildings. While construction of each of these types of models can be enjoyable, one of the most challenging yet rewarding types of miniatures and models to construct are those which replicate buildings and the various furnishings which go into buildings. While some types of models and miniatures can be constructed by use of glue, clips or the like, the more sophisticated and challenging miniatures involve the use of very small nails and other miniature fasteners which are used to secure elements of the miniature to one another. These nails range in size anywhere from an inch and a half in length down to nails which are less than three eighths of an inch in length, which are used for such purposes as securing miniature hinges to a door jam, joining very small or very fine pieces of wood to one another, or other such purposes.
One of the significant problems encountered in using such very small nails, however, is that holding the nail in the proper position prior to insertion is very difficult, and it may be even more difficult to properly drive the nail, due to the way in which one must hold the nail for proper insertion. It is common for persons attempting to insert such small nails to grasp the nails using long nosed or needle nosed pliers and then tap the nail to partially insert the nail prior to completing the hammering process. While this procedure will work for many persons who participate in the hobby of building miniatures, as the hobbyists become older or lose some degree of the hand-eye coordination they have come to rely on, it becomes more and more difficult to hold the nail while simultaneously inserting and driving it with the hammer. It can become virtually impossible for such persons to continue to enjoy the hobby in which they have invested so much of their time and effort to become proficient, and therefore there is a need for a device which is usable not only to hold a very small nail in the proper location for driving of the nail but also can be used to drive the nail without requiring additional support devices such as needle nosed or long nosed pliers, thereby permitting even those persons who are unsteady or somewhat infirm to continue to practice their beloved hobby.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved nail holding and driving device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved nail holding and driving device which will magnetically engage a nail, support and properly position it for insertion into the material into which the nail is to be driven and facilitate driving of the nail into the material by providing an easier-to-impact hitting surface to be hit by the user.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved nail holding and driving device which includes a generally cylindrical main tube, a toroidal magnet movably mounted on the outer wall of the main tube and a generally cylindrical nail-driving rod which is slidably housed within the main tube, the nail-driving rod being constructed of a ferrous metal material such that the toroidal magnet magnetizes the nail-driving rod so that the rod, when encountering a metal nail, will magnetically engage the nail to support the nail within the main tube in contact with the nail-driving rod prior to the nail being inserted into the desired location by impact of a hammer or other nail-driving device with the upper end of the nail-driving rod.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved nail holding and driving device which can be used with very small and hard-to-grip nails to facilitate insertion of those nails in the desired installation location.
Finally, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved nail holding and driving device which is relatively simple and durable in construction and is safe, efficient and effective in use.